North American Bowling News

Unearthing Pyles

Duckpin Hall of Famer, Jeff Pyles

In the sport of Duckpin Bowling, the name "Jeff Pyles" is synonymous with record-setting performances and astonishing numbers. Aside from his many feats, which include winning the first pro tour that he ever participated in, (at age 17), and leading all duckpin professionals, past or present, with 18 tour wins, Jeff has racked up a number of records, both world and local. For duckpin aficionados, below are several line scores that I happened to come across during some personal research.

The World Record 3-Game 655 Set (Glenmont Lanes) -- from 1978

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

X

X

X

X

/

/

/

X

X

/

30

60

89

109

128

147

167

196

216

235

X

X

/

/

X

/

X

X

19

28

48

66

76

96

116

136

165

185

X

X

X

X

X

X

/

X

/

30

60

90

120

148

167

177

197

217

235

The Washington-Metro area 5-game City record (Glenmont Lanes) -- around 1996

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

/

X

X

/

/

X

/

10

18

38

67

87

105

125

143

151

170

X

X

X

/

X

/

/

X

X

30

58

77

87

107

127

146

166

194

213

/

/

/

/

/

X

/

X

10

29

48

67

76

89

109

129

149

168

X

X

X

/

/

/

/

30

58

78

97

106

125

142

161

171

181

/

/

X

X

X

/

/

/

19

39

58

68

78

106

126

145

164

183

The Duckpin Pro Tour Single Game record (Long Meadow Bowl) -- from 1996

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

X

/

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X/

20

40

70

100

130

160

190

220

249

269

Here's an impressive and extremely rare opening to a series (22 consecutive marks) (at AMF College Park on 3/22/98)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

X

/

/

/

X

/

/

/

/

/

20

39

58

78

98

117

136

154

173

192

/

X

/

/

X

/

X

X

/

/

20

40

57

77

97

117

145

165

183

197

/

/

X

X

/

19

36

46

55

73

82

92

102

122

140

Unfortunately, I couldn't locate the line score for the Pyles 7-game record of 1329, set at Greenway East Lanes in Baltimore, but the series did include an unprecedented 3-game stretch of 681--234, 189, & 258. In spite of the above numbers, probably Jeff's most amazing accomplishment is that he holds the world record for high league average for a single season--a tremendous 164 average for 99 games in 1984 at Wheaton Triangle Lanes. Astonishingly, a few years prior, Jeff also averaged 160 for a league at Fair Lanes Capital Plaza.